Headmaster Rykell Joss is drumming his fingers furiously on the desk that separates the headmaster and the boy sitting opposite of him. If Master Jev Haithur’s hateful stare (in the rare moments where he would discard of his fake friendly mask) could be described as a snake watching its prey, then Headmaster Joss intense gaze could be describe as a mountain lion setting its eyes on the foolish hunter that dared trespasses in his domain.

The boy isn't scared at all, his eyes are locked in a starring contest with the silent headmaster. He doesn't look away nor does he back down (unlike the time a while ago when Mistress Ariessa Ricon was glaring at him in her room). But compared to last night in the north hall when the boy looked at Master Haithur with contempt and disdain, the feeling that he gives now in the headmaster’s office is akin to a warrior trying to size up a worthy opponent.

After the incident at the courtyard this morning, Headmaster Joss had sent teachers looking for the boy with orders to bring the barefooted hospital-gown wearing fool to his office. Not for his own safety mind you, but for the safety of the rest of the students (and maybe faculty members as well judging by the sizable opponents he laid waste) in the Whiteford Academy.

But every time the teachers would close down on his last known appearance, the boy would disappear and escape from their search net, only to reappear somewhere else later. Which is why the search party is doubled to include more members of the teaching staffs. But still the boy managed to elude the increased number of people tracking and searching for him.

It was as if he knows their exact location at any given moment and could slip through the cracks. It’s either that or the boy has memorized the detailed layout of the whole school and was using it to his advantage. Which should be impossible because it was suppose to be the first time he has set foot here. And the teaching staffs was suppose to have the home ground advantage since they've been here for years.

The boy had successfully evaded the people chasing after him for quite some time, which drove Headmaster Joss into taking the final step. Just as he was about to put the school under emergency lock down, imagine the headmaster’s surprise when the boy everyone was looking for suddenly strolled into his office without a care in the world, along with Mistress Ricon and a beautiful young girl wearing a maid uniform following in tow.

The boy politely asked if he could sit down, and as if taking Headmaster Joss’s stunned silence as agreement, proceeded to put his barefooted hospital-gown wearing bottom into one of the two seats located in front of the headmaster’s desk. Mistress Ricon doesn't take the seat beside him. Instead the female teacher chose to prop herself against the wall near the back of the room. The beautiful young maid doesn't take a seat as well, she remains standing a few steps behind the boy.

Headmaster Joss feels he has seen the young girl with the golden pigtails somewhere before, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Anyway, the pressing matter at hand is not the girl’s identity, but the boy sitting in front of the headmaster. It looks like he is patiently waiting for Headmaster Joss to take the first move. Which is alarming considering his manic bouncing-off-the-wall demeanor last night. The boy’s calm and serene appearance puts the already vigilant Headmaster Joss in a cautious state.

Regardless of whether or not the boy is in danger from Master Haithur/Ouroboros, it seems he is able to look after himself. The 15 students he sent to the infirmary could attest to that fact. Based on the early reports Headmaster Joss received from eyewitnesses who saw the incident, the boy managed to defeat all of them without suffering from a single scratch.

But the boy sitting in front of the headmaster is now sporting a nasty black eye. The hospital gown the boy is wearing is also bloodied and tattered as well, with rips and tears in various places. Headmaster Joss could see some of the small cuts on the boy’s body that have already stopped bleeding and closed.

“How did you get the black eye?”

“He fell down some stairs.”

“I fell down some stairs.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“What about the cuts on your body.”

“He was running with scissors.”

“I was running with scissors.”

“Enough of this nonsense!”

*slams desk

“Mistress Ricon, stop putting words in his mouth! And you! Did you know what you did this morning?”

“Went for breakfast at the north hall… was disappointed they ran out of blueberry muffins?”

“No! Before that!”

“Woke up in the infirmary… went for breakfast at the north hall… was disappointed they ran out of blueberry muffins?”

“No, you son of a- In between that time!”

“Woke up in the infirmary… went for breakfast at the north hall… got peed on by a girl… was disappointed they ran out of blueberry muffins?”

“NO! I MEANT… wait, what?”

“What Headmaster Joss means to say is the event in which some students accosted Master at the behest of Master Haithur.”

“Was I talking to you?”

“I’m sorry for speaking out of line, Headmaster Joss, but I am a firsthand witness to the incident.”

“…”

“Master Haithur visited my followers and me early in the morning, telling us to approach Master the first chance we get and teach him a lesson in manners.”

“…”

“Of course I refused at first, but Master Haitur was very persistent. The people under me were also eager and raring to go and I couldn't help but be swept along.”

“…”

“What we didn't know at the time was a follower of Master Haithur had also slipped unnoticed into our group. He was armed with a knife and had specific orders to kill Master.”

“…”

“Please forgive Master for any transgression you think he might have done. Master was only defending himself. I will also make sure my followers will not make any complaints to their parents or to the school administration.”

“…”

“Hey, don’t look at me. I didn't put the words in her mouth.”

“You… Are you Synnove Ciro?”

“Hah! Not even close. My name is-“

“I’m not talking to you, you idiot! I’m talking to the girl behind you!”

“Who? Pigtails Girl? Oops, sorry. Kind of thought you were looking at me for a second there.”

“Hello and good morning, Headmaster Joss. Sorry for the late greeting. I am indeed Synnove Ciro of the Jazwin Kingdom.”

“Why are you dressed in a maid uniform? And why are you calling him ‘Master’”?

“I am his maid. And, I am his maid.”

“…”

“Hey, don’t look at me. I’m still trying to figure out how to get her to stop following me. I didn't even know her real name until now.”

“…”

“I had a pretty busy morning, okay? Prophetic dream of my imminent death… surviving Master Haithur’s assassination attempt… the alarming lack of blueberry muffins in my diet.”

“…”

“Before you kick us out and drink the bottle of Azrizz wine you kept locked in your desk drawer, just know that Master Haithur was here last night some time after midnight.”

“…”

“I suggest you pour any alcoholic beverages you have here down the sink. And maybe change the locks to your office too. Oh, and you also might want to watch what you eat or drink from now on.”

“…”

“We wouldn't want you to suddenly keel over and mysteriously die before your time now, do we? That would be ba-”

“WHAT IS IT YOU WANT?”

“I'm glad you asked. I need you to use your connections in the Order of Enahel to send out summons for a meeting to the rulers of the kingdoms in the Grandiel Continent.”

“Which one?”

“All of them of course.”

“…”

“Is there a problem? There’s like only nine of them. It’s not like we’re planning a bachelor par-“

“OF COURSE THERE'S A FUCKING PROBLEM!”

“…”

“You want to summon the various rulers of the nine kingdoms...”

“We’ll have our people call their people to schedule a brunch.”

“Most of them sworn enemies who are most likely to kill each other on sight...”

“You’re describing every family reunion that has ever existed.”

“For a meeting that has never happened before in the history of the Grandiel Continent…”

“Fine. Guess we’ll have to bake a cake to commemorate the event then. Dibs on it being blueberry flavored.”

“I know I’m going to regret asking this… because I can kind of guess your reason… but why is it you want to hold this meeting?”

“Why, it’s to find a way to stop the Apocalypse of course.” smiles the barefooted hospital-gown wearing boy like it’s the most natural thing to say in the world.